this is all great - thanks for sharing! even if yoga doesn't do a ton for weight loss (not sure if it will or not) it's good to know it will have other outward effects since i'm already feeling some of the inward ones.

I'm also new and wanted to share my 2 cents. Really nice article and thank you for posting! I can't wait to try the Lion Pose.

I remember reading an article a while back that said women who do yoga have a better body image than those that don't. The article said they didn't explore whether it was a result of the yoga or if women with already high body images are drawn to yoga but I'm inclined to believe it's the first one. I know I feel much more confident and happy and grounded when I do my yoga regularly.

~Paige~

"People miss out on opportunities because opportunity wears overalls and looks like work." - Unknown.

HI, I am new here and thought i'll add my 5 cents to the topic. I am sure, some of you know that shoulder stand is reputedly an anti-aging asana. I am not quite sure about the science behind it, nevertheless, i always include it in my finishing sequence. Namaste:)

seriously, with a roar -- the bigger the better! Lots of fun to do in a large class!

I needed to add that my instructor will add this pose near the end of a session if she hears people with congestion, allergies, etc. Apparently the sudden expulsion of breath helps break up the junk in the respiratory system.

Here's a demo of the lion pose. In this video the demonstrator says that the Lion's Pose "gives the muscles of the jaw, throat, eyes, and face a stretch that can ease problems like teeth grinding and clenched jaws", but it also is a great exercise for the entire face. If you think about it, there isn't much chance to exercise the face. This exercise is good for circulation of the face. I do believe in facial exercises and face massage, I ususally do it as a morning and evening routine along with brushing my teeth. It works! Enjoy!

The following article is by Wai Lana, Renown Yoga teacher for 25 years. I really like what she says! I myself as I get older (I am 41) I rely more on my inner beauty and less, and less on makeup and other things. When I was younger, I use to wear tons of makeup and paid lots of money on skin products. These days I just wear a moisturizer and sunblock and I'm done!

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Inner Beauty Shines Through

The current Botox craze shows the extent—and expense—some people will go to just to keep the body looking young and beautiful. In case you haven't heard, doctors are injecting botulin toxin into certain facial wrinkles to temporarily remove them or make them less prominent. At around $400 a shot, it's an expensive procedure and not altogether without risk. Improperly applied injections around the mouth can leave you drooling, and those around the eyes can leave you with droopy eyelids. It can also make you somewhat expressionless since it paralyzes or weakens the muscles that cause those expressive facial lines.

Aging is a natural process that we can't avoid, although certain yoga postures and exercises can help keep our skin toned and vibrant. For example, Lion Pose (in which you stick your tongue out, gaze at the third eye chakra, and roar like a lion) increases circulation to the face and tones the facial muscles. You can tone a sagging jawline with Throat Massage (extending your chin, then tucking it back against your neck). The regular practice of a variety of asanas keeps you feeling good and gives your body a healthy glow.

That inner glow has more to do with beauty than being pretty, handsome, or young. A classic beauty may lack kindness or vitality. Good looks can hide a selfish or mean-spirited personality. An unhappy person is rarely as attractive as someone who is happy, regardless of looks. While outer beauty may attract us initially, what ultimately keeps us interested in a person is his or her inner beauty.

That's where yoga comes in. The goal of yoga is not to achieve physical beauty, but inner happiness. That happiness shines through your eyes, your expressions, your attitude to others; it is what makes you truly attractive. This inner beauty is something that the years can't take away.

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